


Grave Digger

by Crash (theyllek)



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 12:56:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15908712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theyllek/pseuds/Crash
Summary: Jack attends a funeral offworld





	Grave Digger

Jack walked slowly, following the crowd of mourners as they made their way to the burial site. It was a bright sunny day - a direct contrast to the mood that permeated the air. He tugged slightly at the tie and collar of his shirt, unused to wearing his dress blues offworld. 

SG-1 had met the Ellasians two years ago on a standard recon mission. Since then, Earth had established trade relations with them, trading naquadah for medicines. Eleni, one of the elders of the village, had taken an immediate shine to Jack. She had demanded that he be present for all negotiations, trusting his word above everyone else’s.

Jack made regular visits to the planet, spending most of his time with Eleni. They would talk about everything and nothing at the same time. She reminded him of his Aunt Kate in Minnesota when he was a boy; the one that would sit and listen or cover third base when Tommy had to go home early for supper.    


But the last few visits had been hard on Jack. Seeing such a strong and vital woman struck down by a seemingly harmless virus - the Ellasian version of mumps. Contracted as a child it was easily survivable but as an adult it could be deadly. 

Eleni had lived a long life, seeing much tragedy and much joy in her 75 plus years. Her husband, Yorgo, had passed a few years ago and Yanni, her son, had been killed in a war with the Goa’uld some 30 years before. A war that they had won, though at a tragic price.

She liked to walk along the paths in the woods surrounding the village. Eleni would insist that Jack accompany her when he was there. She told him that he reminded her of Yorgo, and how they had loved to stroll through these same trees, enjoying the peace and beauty.

The group came to a stop at the graveside, the pallbearers taking great care in lowering the coffin to the appropriate spot at the grave side. Jack glanced around, not at all surprised at the volume of people that had arrived to honour Eleni. The priest moved to the head of the grave and, once everyone was settled, he began.  The words flowed smoothly from the tall, black dressed and bearded man’s mouth sounding like the Gregorian chant Jack remembered from Sunday Mass that he had attended as a child.

The priest’s voice receded into the background as Jack began to zone out, remembering the events of the past few days. It had been three days ago that a message had come to the SGC from the mining team informing them that Eleni had passed. It had come as a physical blow to Jack, who had only seen her the day before. She had been rallying that week and it had looked like she was going to make it . 

They had talked for hours, as they had many times before. Trading stories back and forth. Jack listening as Eleni spoke of Yorgo and Yanni. Eleni listening as Jack talked about Charlie. Jack didn’t know why he could speak to her about his lost son. Perhaps because they both had lost a child. Had to bury their own babies.

Jack felt like part of his soul had died when he was told of the woman’s death. Eleni and he had a connection that he was unable to explain. He could never lie to her. Eleni could draw things out of him like no one else could, and he both hated her and loved her for that.

Jack raised his head as the priest’s words came to an end. Zoe, Eleni’s closest friend, stood directly across from him, watching him. She slowly made her way to stand where the priest had stood. Carefully she unfolded a piece of paper and began to read it an ancient tongue that Jack didn’t understand. It sounded beautiful none the less and Jack  tried to commit every word to memory.

After Zoe finished, the pall bearers moved forward again and the priest retook his position. Saying one last prayer he swung a censer of incense over Eleni’s coffin as it was slowly lowered into the deep hole that was waiting to receive it.. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft sobs and sniffles of the gathered mourners.

When the coffin was placed in the bottom the pallbearers stepped back. The priest nodded again and slowly the people began to disperse, some returning to their homes and others heading to the Village Hall for the feast that was to be held in Eleni’s honour, to celebrate her life.

As Jack turned to walk back to the village he noticed for the first time that the ground was still muddy. It had rained the last time he was here. He remembered it clearly because Eleni had complained about not being able to go out and feel the rain upon her face. The closest that she could get was sitting in the large picture window in the front room of her home. 

It hadn’t been long after Eleni and Jack had met that she had insisted on his company for the afternoon. They had walked to a small hill that over looked the river valley not far from the village. There, they sat silently all afternoon taking in the scenery until Jack had noticed a storm beginning to move in. When he suggested that they head back before it arrived, Eleni replied by asking him if he was scared that he would melt from a little rain. 

It was then that she told him how she loved rain. She loved everything about it. The sight of the rain drops plummeting from the dark sky. The sounds the drops made as they splashed on the leaves of the trees and the roofs of the houses. The sweet smell that lingered long after the rain had passed. And the feel of the drops on her skin.  Eleni would close her eyes and tilt her head back letting the rain splatter across her face. She said that it made her feel alive. 

Eleni told Jack that she wanted to be buried in a shallow grave so she could feel the rain, and it saddened Jack as recalled the look of joy she had worn as the rain had soaked them and that he would never again see the look again.

Jack looked at the rows of headstones as he moved toward the entrance to the cemetery. In the bright sunlight he could see pictures etched into them. Many of the gravesites were cluttered with flowers, small tokens, and oil burners of incense left by family members. And others were vacant. Nothing left to say that someone cared about them. Just a sad face on a headstone, seemingly forgotten by everyone. 

Jack’s sadness increased when he saw the grave of a child. Weeds had started to overgrow the site and a handful of dead flowers rested at the base of the headstone. Kneeling down, Jack carefully tidied the small grave. Removing the dead blooms and leaves, Jack made himself a mental note to bring flowers for this forgotten grave as well as Eleni’s when he came back.

Jack stood up from his kneeling position, his knees and back cracking loudly in the now empty cemetery. He took one last look towards Eleni’s grave, before turning to leave. 

And as he turned and headed toward the village, he vowed that he would never allow Eleni to be forgotten.

 

 


End file.
